Indirect lighting luminaire



Dec. 24, 1940. v Q DQAN'E 2,226,222

INDIRECT LIGHTING LUMINAIRE Filed Dec. 21, 1938 r-1 j INVENTOR $111.1 Leroy C. Doane ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 24, 1940'. e

UNITED sTATEs PATENT j OFFICE Leroy C. Y'Doane Sllht light minor. to' The Corporation, ltllex. Conn., a corporation or Connecticut; n Application December 21, 1938, Serial No. 248,943

6Claims.

'I'he present invention relates to indirect lighting luminaires, and is more particularly directed toward luminaires adapted to be used below the normal eye level for illuminating a working plane below the luminaire, and wherein the light source is in the form of a lamp carried in a substantially horizontal lamp socket.

The present invention contemplates a luminaire for the above purposes wherein the lamp is received in a pocket which reiiects light upwardly and outwardly, and wherein the lamp is placed close to and below an opaque reiiecting cover which screens the lamp against observation at normal eye level and reflects light downwardly and outwardly, the luminaire being provided with screening means between the edges of the pocket and of the cover for intercepting light emitted by thelamp at angles below the cover. In order that the vertical depth of the light controlling elements may be small, and in order that there will be the minimum obstruction to the downwardly emitted light, the pocket is made just large enough to receive the lamp bulb (which maybe of the 40 or 60 watt size), and means is provided whereby the lamp bulb and socket can be swung upwardly to permit removal of the lamp bulb.

The present invention spring mounting for the lamp bulb socket and lamp bulb of a luminaire 'so that the bulb and socket may be shifted from normal position.

The accompanying drawing shows. for purposes of illustrating the present invention, one of the many embodiments in which the invention may take form, together with a modication of certain parts, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative of the invention rather 'than limiting the same.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a luminaire with parts broken away to show interior construction;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figurel;

l'lgure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the lamp socket in elevated position and illustrating a modiiied form of holder for the also contemplates a l socket support; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 at an enlarged scale.

(ci. 24o-1a) Y switch .indicated at I3 and is adapted to receive screws Il and I5 rfor securement of a pocketforming member I8 in place. The pocket-forming member is apertured as indicated at I1 to accommodate wires, and has an upwardly opening 5 wireway I8. The sides I9 and 20 of the Wireway are notched as indicated at 2I to receive the ends 22 of a bent member 23. These ends are held down by spring fingers 24a and 2lb formed in plate 2l. The plate is secured in place by screws 10 25 and has an upstruck stop member 26 for a purpose to be described.

The member 23 is bowed, as indicated in the drawing, and the other end 21 is secured to a lamp socket 28 having its axis substantially hori- 15 zontal and adapted to support a lamp bulb 29 as indicated. The pocket-forming member I6 extends out under the lamp socket and under the lamp bulb and is preferably made to be very close to the lamp bulb. The spring fingers 24a and 2lb 20 act to hold the lamp socket and bulb in the position shown in full lines in Figure 2,` and when one wishes to remove the lamp or to insert a new lamp, the` lamp (or the lamp and socket) are lifted up to the position in Figure 4 to bring the 25 bowed member 23 against the abutment 26 and bend the spring ngers.

The pocket-forming member I6 is provided with three outwardly extendingiarms 30 which carry an annularA downwardly eand outwardly 30 ilared screen 3l. The screen, the arms and the entire pocket member may be made of a single die-casting, if desired, or may be made up from a number of separate pieces. The screening means 3| supports three posts 32 and these posts de'- 35 tachably support an opaque reflecting cover 33 whose central portion preferably is brought down close to the upper surface of the lamp bulb and whose periphery is substantially in the plane of the top of the screening means 3l. The diameter of the cover 33 is such as to cover and conceal the lamp, the lamp socket and the socket support.

With the parts shown in the drawing it is apparent that the lower pocket I6 acts as a reflector for the downwardly emitted light and 45 reflects this light up on to the upper cover. The upper cover receives the direct and reflected light and directs it out through the space between the screen and the edge of the cover, some of the light is directed down between the screen and 50 the edge of the pocket and the screen also re ceives some light from the 'luminous upper surface of the bulb so that the light is utilized in the very eflicient manner to produce a high. luminosity on the working surface at consider- 55 A light directly below the luminaire.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 4, the

l switch housing is omitted and the tubular supporting arm 40 is threaded directly into the pocket-forming member.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions within the scope of the claims and I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is but one of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do not otherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

l. In a luminaire, a lamp bulb, a lamp socket, a socket support having lateral extensions at the free end, a pocket forming member adapted to receive the bulb and socket and having notches to receive said extensions, and springs bearing on the extensions to yieldingly hold the socket and bulb in the pocket forming member and permit swinging them partially outwardly.

2. In a luminaire, a tubular arm, a housing member secured to the end of the arm, the housing member having a chamber to accommodate wiring and a switch, a socket receptacle closing the wiring chamber and apertured for wiring, and a socket pivotally secured to the socket receptacle to swing up and down, the socket receptacle having upwardly extending walls, and a spring secured to the walls to be yieldable up and down, and acting on the socket support to hold the socket in its lower position.

3. A luminaire, for use below the normal eye level and for illuminating a working plane below the luminaire, comprising a substantially horizontal support for the socket, an upwardly opening, opaque pocket forming member carried by and secured to the support and extending horizontally from the end thereof and of a coniiguration to receive and fit closely about a horizontally disposed lamp socket and lamp bulb, a lamp socket in the pocket forming member, a socket carried lamp bulb having a luminous surface, and its light center substantially at the level of the upper edge of the pocket forming member to reflect light upwardly and outwardly, an opaque annular reflecting cover of a diameter such as to cover the pocket forming member and placed closely adjacent the top of the lamp bulb for screening the lamp bulb against observation at normal eye level and reileeting direct and reflected light downwardly and outwardly, and annular screening means oi' a radius substantially the distance from the base of the socket to the light source and interposed between the edge of the pocket forming member and the edge of the cover for intercepting light emitted by the lamp at angles below the cover.

4. A luminaire such as claimed in claim 3, wherein the socket cover, pocket forming member and the screen are unitary and the cover is detachably supported on the screen.

5. A luminaire such as claimed in claim 3, wherein the upper edge of the pocket forming member is slightly above the light center, and the upper edge of the screening means is slightly above the edge of the pocket forming member and at substantially the level of the bottom of the cover.

6. A luminaire for use below the normal eye level and for illuminating a working plane below the luminaire, comprising a substantially horizontal support for the socket, an upwardly opening, opaque pocket forming member carried by and secured to the support and extending horizontally from the end thereof and of a configuration to receive and iit closely about a horizontally disposed lamp socket and lamp bulb, a lamp socket in the pocket forming member, a socket carried lamp bulb having a luminous surface, and its light center substantially at the level of the upper edge of the pocket forming member to reflect light upwardly and outwardly, an opaque annular reflecting cover of a diameter such as to cover the pocket forming member and placed closely adjacent the top of the lamp bulb for screening the lamp bulb against observation at normal eye level and reilecting direct and reflected light downwardly and outwardly, screening means interposed between the edge of the pocket forming member and the edge o1' the 'cover for intercepting light emitted by the lamp at angles below the cover and a pivotal mounting for the socket so that the socket may be lifted up for lamp removal.

LEROY C. DOANE. 

